Rachie works a long day
by FanaticFaberrittanaFanfiction
Summary: I should have said something. Did something. Anything. "All the other kids with their pumped up kicks better run, better run, outrun my gun."


Title: Rachie works a long day.

Summary: I should have said something. Did something. Anything. "All the other kids with their pumped up kicks better run, better run, outrun my gun."

Warning: Angst. Uh I don't know. Guns

AN: Totally wrote this and posted it too tumblr a while ago while high off meds from that accident I had.

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I think the first sign was her reaction to that most recent slushy. She got so angry but it vanished just as quick. She just blinked went to class. She walked around all day covered in that red crap. That was Monday when we practiced the song for the assembly. It was a list of request and we were working this one hard because of we were doing the full song. A first. I noticed when she stepped forward, her shoes making a sticky sound that even Santana cringed at.

"Robert's got a quick hand. He'll look around room." Her eyes drifted to the door as she turned around, "He won't tell you his plan. He's got a rolled cigarette hanging out his mouth he's a cowboy kid. Yeah, he found a six-shooter gun." She mimicked pulling out a gun, "In his dads closet hidden in a box of fun things, and I don't even know what. But he's coming for you, yeah he's coming for you."

We joined in on the chorus, "All the other kids with the pumped up kicks. You'd better run, better run, out run my gun. All the other kids with pumped up kicks. You'd better run, better, faster then my bullet. All the other kids with the pumped up kicks. You'd better run, better, out run my gun. All the other kids with the pumped up kicks. You'd better run, better run, faster than my bullet.

This is where the song gets weird. See it was suppose to be Finn but Rachel started again and no one stopped her. There was something different about her. Something off putting. Not like her cute rants or her weird obsession with that Funny Girl woman.

"Daddy works a long day. He be coming home later, yeah, he's coming home late. And he's bringing me a surprise. Because dinner's in the kitchen and it's packed in ice. I've waited for long time. Yeah, the slight of my hand is now a quick pull trigger I reason with my cigarette. And say your hair's on fire. You must have lots your wits, yeah."

When we danced around to the chorus she stayed standing there staring straight ahead. Never breaking eye contact until we started to whistle and she followed us in a circle then stopped still whistling when we started singing again. I noticed, but said nothing, when she stood there watching the person who slushied her walk by the room with a smug smile. We got back in the line formation finishing the song out. She was the first out the room that day. No one mentioned the change in the singing which was surprising. Though I heard Santana mumble weird, to no surprise Finn nor Mr. Schue made a movement to find her. I should have.

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The second day she walked into school wearing wranglers, honest to God Wranglers, a white tank top and a flannel shirt covering it. And she had on cowboy boots, no joke. But she looked good. No one messed with her other than saying she looked nice. Even Santana flirted with her and she was very receptive which threw the Latina off guard. Though the mood was generally ruined when she was dropped into a trash can. Puck stood up for her and again she walked around in the stained clothes. The only only reason she wasn't covered in food was because Brittany cleaned her off.

In Glee club we did the same practice but this time she pulled out the prop six shooter, two of them, spinning them on her fingers coldly. Then, once again, she left before anyone could say a word. Once again it was brushed off. Though Kurt did go after her. That night he came over with Mercedes and said nothing. He cried. Actually cried and said he was scared.

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On the third day, the last day, the day it happened. She didn't show not in the morning. But she walked in around the lunch time and sat the table with no food looking like she was waiting for something to happen. We spoke and she just smiled not adding input at all. This is when it happened. Food was dropped on her head and she stood up staring at the jock making a gesture with her hand that no one saw but the jock who backed up calling her a freak. She walked out. I was surprised when she didn't come to class but then I heard a whistle it was loud playing over the intercom and a fire cracker. Then another getting enough attention and the halls started getting crowd. The whistle quieted down and was followed by gun shot. I ran, like most, trying to ignore the screams.

I lost myself in the crowd when Puck grabbed me taking me to the choir room I was met by the other glee kids. Only one not there was Rachel. Mr. Schue locked the door hesitantly. The shots got closer then stopped. I heard Rachel banging on the door and calling us to her. Schue opened the door in no time and she walked in sitting in the stool. She sat there swaying oddly calm and then I heard her whistling a song and it sent chills down my spine. She looked at us with somber eyes, tears ready to spill at any time.

"Rachie gots a quick hand. She looks around the room but she won't tell you her plan. She's got a rolled cigarette hanging out her mouth she's a cowboy kid. Yeah, she found a six-shooter gun." She took out two six shooters.

Hint 1: The change in clothes. The cowboy boots. the toy guns, and that rolled cigarette she smoked in the parking lot.

"In her dads closet hidden in a box of fun things, and I don't even know what. But she's coming for, yeah she's coming for you." She stared at us, "Sing."

It took no more than her little voice to get strong and we all started the chorus, "All the other kids with the pumped up kicks. You better run, better, outrun my gun. All the other kids with the pumped up you'd better run, better run, faster then my bullet."

It was weird, singing at semi gun point.

"Daddy works a long day." She frowned blinking away tears, "He be coming home late, yeah, he's coming home late. And he's bringing me a surprise. Because dinner's in the kitchen and its packed in ice. I've waited for a long time. Yeah, the slight of my hand is now a quick pull trigger." She aimed at the wall recreating the reason she was late that morning, "Yeah, the slight of my hand is now a quick pull trigger. I reason with my cigarette and say your hair's on fire. You must have lost your wits yeah."

We sing again and she's up spinning the guns still humming until its over. She finally stops and starts to whistle staring at us one by one and looking at the gun, I can see her finger twitch. But something happens she looks at us, tears pouring down her face. That's when we hear you come in over the intercom and tell her to let us go. She stopped whistling and walked to the door. We followed. That day we follow. She opened it lightly letting us leave. She was hugged and Puck almost didn't leave. She put the gun in his side and I heard the gun click. She threatened to shoot him and he left. I stayed and she just stared closing the door.

"What do you want?"

"Why Rachel?"

"You don't understand?"

"No."

"Of course not. You're Quinn Fabray it doesn't happen to you."

I stared at her. This was true. Yes the baby was a tough time. But Rachel had been enduring this abuse since 6th grade.

"Quinn you should leave. You don't wanna be here."

"Can you tell me why? Something."

Rachel looked at me, "I'm tired Quinn. So tired. It gets hard being me everyday. Even when I try to not be me something happens. I'm just so tired." She wiped her face and whispered, "I just wanted it to stop. Why wouldn't they stop?"

When I go to hug her she pointed the gun at me. I stood there lost in the barrel. I moved closer, incredibly stupid. Her arm stiffened then dropped. I hugged her, what else could I do? I put my hands on her face lifting her head up. She smiled, honest to God, and I kissed her goodbye. She returned it before pointing to the door. I walked away. I went back to the door but she was locking it and turned not looking at me starting to whistle again. I went down the hall, the intercom echoed as you tried to talk her into putting the guns out the window. I didn't hear her response but you said no…so loud. I turned to run to the door but a cop grabbed me when the gun shot went off. I don't think I'll ever stop hearing it.

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I looked up from the picture of Rachel and look at the detective.

"So yeah I knew. Like everyone else. Rachel was going to break. But we figured it would be an epic diva fit for the ages. But not like this."

"Is it say you loved Rachel?"

I stare off, "The Rachel I knew…yes…but how can I be sure that I even knew her at all? I didn't pay enough attention. I am as much to blame as anyone else. I changed, I did, but I started most of the targeting. Hell all of it, sexual repression makes you a bitch."

"I'm sure. Is there anything else?"

I nodded, "When you do your press conference…please don't be to harsh. After all we're all victims of our own ignorance. A friendly hand could have stopped it before the trigger slipped."

I stand leaving the interrogation room. Once outside I ignore the press with a polite 'no comment.' I get in the car and drive off. They stopped following after a while. I had gotten famous as the girl that saw her last. That…that killed me. I got to the sign outside of Lima and got out the car staring at it. I wrote across the bottom before getting in the car and leaving.

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I live in New York now, it was tough starting over. I took the home school option, paid for by the school. I worked all night and spent all night doing the work in advanced graduating early. I got into Yale, I wasn't gonna go. The crowds in small places bother me. That's why I worked from night to morning and I do some of my homework until the streets are just busy enough for me to get home safe. I was still paralyzed by fear and the nightmares were worse. So I living day to day on about 3 hours of sleep a night. One night I changed my mind about Yale and said the hell with fear and decided to go.

It was a good change, they knew me from the news, most never said anything but every once in a while someone had to ask me about Rachel. About the interrogation video that leaked some time after I left town. I never answered the question or acknowledged that one was asked. I didn't stay long I got an acting job. I hope you didn't see it. It was terrible but I got another role.

"The role I have now that brings be home to Lima. I visit my family and then I visit Mr. Schue, he doesn't teach anymore. Not at McKinley he's at Carmel working as a guidance counselor. He doesn't do anything with glee. He aged as well, his hair gray on the sides and even skinner then before. I wanted to see coach but she left not long after me. She's in California working another cheer squad. The school doesn't have a glee club and I hear she's a lot nicer. I went to see Puck, he's doing okay. Still a bit shaken up about it all, even after all this time. He's running Burt's shop with Finn, he's good by the way but he doesn't talk much anymore. Everyone else is gone and we don't talk much. Santana and Brittany ended up in, get this, London. Santana is some hot shot lawyer and Brittany is a preschool teacher. She's pregnant too. Sam's the dad and that is really cool. Sam is a comic book artist. He's really good. Mercedes is called the new Whitney Houston. She's won like 12 Grammy. awards And that amazing. Kurt and Blaine went to NYADA we tried to hang out but it didn't work. Memories and stuff. Plus after the interview tape came out everyone just pitied me for being in love with you, so stupid. We do still talk on occasion. Kurt ended up on Broadway in Spring Awakening and Blaine is a soap star, he's really good. But I heard he's going to be playing Gabe Goodman in Next to Normal. That's pretty awesome. Artie is a director, Mike is of course a dancer and Tina sings too. She's really amazing, she just got a record deal." I pause, "The role I have now…I'm playing….you. It's a variation of you. Artie wrote a script about everything. It's one of those rare ones where you see the shooter before the shooting. It's called Hours. He added and extended a lot. I wish you could see it. Anyway I need to go. I can't miss my flight. Bye….Rachel."

When I get in the car I go down the road stopping at the welcome sign. I get out and walk up to it staring at the the inscriptions.

"Never Forget."

"All the other kids…"

"Learn from this."

My eyes wonder to the one I wrote, that someone traced carving it in.

"We are not our tragedy. We will not be defined by pain. The show will go on." I traced my finger over the star before getting back in the car. The ride is too quiet. I flip the radio on at a red light.

"Another classic for oldies out there."

When the music starts I stare intently like the title going across the screen. A horn blares and I speed off looking forward.

"All the other kids with their pumped kicks better run, better run, out run my gun."

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Lalalala medication wrote this.


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